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<title>She’s So Gone [Chapter Eleven] by bobasheebaby</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25612627">She’s So Gone [Chapter Eleven]</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bobasheebaby/pseuds/bobasheebaby'>bobasheebaby</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Cordonian Ruby [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Royal Romance (Visual Novel)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cliffhanger, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:54:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>836</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25612627</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bobasheebaby/pseuds/bobasheebaby</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Maxwell explains what happened to Hana.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bastien/Olivia Nevrakis, Bradshaw/Hana, The Heir (The Royal Romance)/Original Character(s), mentioned</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Cordonian Ruby [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1724443</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>She’s So Gone [Chapter Eleven]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Next week we will have my fluffy ABC’s interview and then we will finally be in Cordonia (I think?)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="">
  <p>“What do you mean Hana is Bradshaw’s mistress?” Olivia’s sharp tone echoed through the suite.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“For the record this is why I didn’t tell them, it’s not my story to tell and I thought Hana would be here.” Drake said walking towards the stocked minibar. He was tempted to leave the room completely but he doubted Olivia’s aim became less accurate over the years, <em>better to be a victim of her sharp tongue than her blade. </em></p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Maxwell gave a meek smile, “she was coming, but then Bradshaw showed up and she couldn’t leave.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Maxwell, <em>how</em> did Hana become Bradshaw’s mistress?” Olivia spat the last word from her mouth.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She hadn’t been as close to Hana as Carolyn, yet it was hard to picture Hana as anyone’s mistress, let alone the man who stole the lives of her best friends.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Maxwell shifted uncomfortably. He was used to having all eyes on him, but not like this. <em>No wonder Drake didn’t tell them. </em>“I only know a second hand account …”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Which is?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Maxwell gulped, <em>not getting out of this now. </em>“As Hana told it, Bradshaw always had a wandering eye. He had been attracted to both Carolyn and Hana, and as he said it ‘he couldn’t keep Carolyn around for obvious reasons’.” He shuddered as a shiver ran down his spine. “Hana really tells it much better, maybe you should just wait until we get to Cordonia …”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Spill it.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Maxwell gave a resigned sigh before continuing, “Bradshaw had his eye on Hana and kept her from leaving the country.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He was aware how close she was to Carolyn from the girls trip to Auvernal.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>With Liam and Carolyn out of the picture, he moved onto Hana. He figured with the close relationship she might have been privy to information that could prove useful for him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He offered her Valtoria since the duchy was once again without a Duchess, and a <em>large</em> stipend to stay as his mistress.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Hana agreed, though she played down her eagerness.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She was smart enough to understand he wanted information but Hana was <em>positive</em> that somehow the heir survived and made it out. She saw his offer as a way to help if the true heir ever returned.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She was frantic when she first told me, she felt like she was betraying Carolyn and Liam, but she figured it was better than death.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>I don’t know how she knew,” his eyes fell once more to Ruby, “she just kept telling Bertrand, Savannah and I that she couldn’t lose faith that somehow Carolyn and Liam had managed to get their child to safety.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“So Hana became Bradshaw’s mistress on the off chance that Liam and Carolyn’s baby was still alive?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Well yeah, but also to stay alive.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He didn’t say it, but she said it was heavily implied that if she didn’t agree she wouldn’t be returning to Shanghai.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Her parents were shocked, they said she was raised better than to be a mistress. It wasn’t until she mentioned the elevation of her title that her parents backed off, though not by much.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Over time she became Bradshaw’s favorite. He’s seen more frequently with Hana than his own wife.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Olivia snorted, “oh I’m sure Isabella <em>loves</em> that.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“She hates it, she’s threatened more than once to remove Hana, but she knows she wouldn’t be any better off even if she did.” Maxwell paused, idly tapping his fingers against his knee, “there is just one <em>tiny</em> little thing …”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Go on.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Maxwell nervously cleared his throat, Olivia and the others seemed to be taking the news relatively well, he was sure that was all about to change. “First I need to tell you Hana assured me that it would be no problem to slip you into the masquerade unseen …”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“But?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“But, she’s fallen in love with him.” Maxwell flinched as he spoke.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“She <em>what?!</em>”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Hana loves Bradshaw, I know it’s crazy and doesn’t make sense. Bertrand was sure she was drugged, but she truly loves him.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Maxwell, how the <em>hell</em> are you just telling us this now?! How do you know she isn’t setting us up to be caught?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Hana wouldn’t do that.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She still wants to remove him from Cordonia, take him down, but since she loves him … she asked that we spare his life.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You have <em>got</em> to be kidding me!</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>This man has a long list of transgressions he must pay for and she expects us to what pardon him simply because she loves him?</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>I could look past her being his mistress since she was playing him, but for her to even suggest that we leave him breathing, unharmed, and I’m assuming still in power of Auvernal … after all he’s done.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He murdered her friends.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What the heart wants right?” He attempted to joke, clearing his throat when he was met with shocked stares. “I get that it’s not ideal, but Hana knows all of his weaknesses, she knows his schedule, if we want her help …”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Then we have to let him live …”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div>
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